Injuries don't leave Ducks short on scoreboard

GLENDALE, Ariz. – Bodies continue to fall by the wayside within the Ducks, so much so that there are enough of them to fill a hospital ward.

You would think that at some point a decimated team will be weakened by the personnel losses. The Ducks are defying that, becoming immune to all the endless injury news and seemingly strengthening their resolve.

Another example was displayed by the Ducks on Saturday night with Jonas Hiller delivering another strong effort in goal and Dustin Penner’s two goals awakening their offense in a 4-2 victory over the Phoenix Coyotes at Jobing.com Arena.

Less than 24 hours after a dramatic overtime home win over Tampa Bay, the Ducks (17-6-3) reacted to the news of losing defenseman Luca Sbisa and goalie Viktor Fasth for another extended time by beating the Coyotes for a third straight time this season.

“I think players are making great sacrifices,” Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau said. “And you could see it in the blocked shots and the effort given on every night. And I think the perseverance comes with great character.

“I think we’ve got a lot of really good character guys on the team that don’t like to lose.”

The day started with the Ducks learning that Sbisa will be lost 6-8 weeks and Fasth gone for 3-4 as a result of separate major injuries.

Sbisa is expected to undergo surgery Monday on a torn tendon in his right hand that was revealed in an examination back in Anaheim. The hand injury occurred during a first-period fight with Tampa Bay's Radko Gudas on Friday night.

Fasth has what the Ducks are calling lower-body muscle inflammation. He was supposed to start Friday against the Lightning but hurt himself during the warm-ups, with Hiller coming in to stop 31 shots in a 1-0 overtime victory.

The two have already missed significant time this season and rejoin a list that currently includes Saku Koivu, Jakob Silfverberg and Sheldon Souray. Defenseman Francois Beauchemin also missed his second straight because of an upper-body injury.

Not that it is fazing the Ducks much. Penner gave them two leads with his first two-goal game since 2011 while playing for Edmonton. The winger’s second tally on a two-on-one rush with Ryan Getzlaf sparked a three-goal flurry in the second period.

Corey Perry and Sami Vatanen also beat Coyotes goalie Mike Smith as the three scores in an 81/2-minute span made for a 4-1 lead, which Boudreau said “it was deflating for them for a few minutes.”

“When you got guys that can put the puck in the net and they get opportunities and they do, it’s nice to see,” Boudreau said.

The power-play tallies by Penner and Vatanen have given them five in the past five games. They’re also a strong 9 for 30 over their past 10 contests after having the NHL’s worst conversion rate for most of the season’s first six weeks.

“I feel like we’ve got that confidence going now where we’re passing the puck with authority,” Getzlaf said. “We’re passing tape to tape and obviously we’re getting rewarded some nights.

“There’s games where we haven’t and we’re still making good plays. And that’s a good sign.”

Hiller has come up with his two best games of the season after the Ducks’ five-game losing streak. After blanking the Lightning, the Swiss netminder followed up with a season-high 42 saves while getting his first work on back-to-back nights.

“I think that game yesterday definitely gave us some confidence,” Hiller said. “And I think tonight was just a hard-working win. Everybody was just battling. Guys blocking shots, were diving to clear pucks.

“That’s the desperation that’s needed. I always say if you work hard, you’re going to get lucky and get some bounces.”

There are not many games where the Ducks come out unscathed and this also wasn’t one as defenseman Bryan Allen suffered a lower-body injury and left the game in the second period. Boudreau doesn’t think Allen’s ailment is very serious.

To fill the spots vacated by Fasth and Sbisa, the Ducks called up goalie Frederik Andersen and defenseman Nolan Yonkman from Norfolk (Va.) of the AHL.